Ash Wednesday in Community Last night I went to church for Ash Wednesday service. We sang together, listened to scripture, and prayed together. Our pastor gave a short sermon, and led us through a silent meditation time by passing out cards with a single word printed on them. We would meditate on the word, and … Continue reading Lenten Practices→

What Do You Mean By That? As a United Methodist, I often find myself asked about some of our unique use of words. “Annual Conference” for example, is both a geographic term (a region in which a bishop has authority for clergy and local churches) and an annual meeting in which clergy and laity gather … Continue reading Can You Practice Mission?→

This week I am back in Texas, for several meetings and to visit my family. Being back home means a trip to Whataburger. If you’re not from Texas, you may not know about our devotion to Whataburger, a burger restaurant which originated in Corpus Christi. Our passion for Whataburger extends to telling each other tales … Continue reading Cultural Dialogue on my Plate→

#MyHope4Methodism If you are a member of the United Methodist Church, you are likely already aware of the conflicts and divisions within the denomination. If not, a quick internet search may lead to you to blogs, articles, news reports and Twitter feeds about our wrestling with how to be a single denomination while holding differing … Continue reading Cross-Cultural Short-Term Mission→

Ten years ago my oldest daughter went on a youth mission trip. She was the only one from our church, joining a group of youth from churches in our district. They spent the week working on the kitchen of an elderly woman who told them stories of growing up in Jamaica, how proud she was … Continue reading The Problem of Persistent Poverty→

Singing Together A couple weeks ago I had to miss Sunday morning worship due to a family emergency. I didn’t think missing one worship service would be too detrimental. I listen to an online daily devotional, keep a prayer journal, and attend a weekly Bible study. Turns out, what I missed was the music. Congregational … Continue reading The Blessing of Shared Worship→

Woah. That’s too much. A couple weeks ago, my friend Jonathan was in my town on business. We invited him over for dinner and enjoyed catching up, laughing and talking while we ate dinner. Dinner table conversation is underrated, in my view. I think it’s one of the most important ways we build each other … Continue reading Conversations Around the Table→